Los Angeles-based OXY USA has longstanding city and state permits to drill for oil at the site. On its website, the city says OXY plans to drill about 85 wells at the site, using one electric powered oil rig to drill each well.

The city says large padding will be placed around the rig to minimize noise.

Oil companies, including Chevron, have long tapped the oil fields of Huntington Beach – at one time, there were wells on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway.